Electrical devices, such as car radios, which have a display device and operating control elements, are generally known.
An advantage of the electrical device of the present invention is that the panel for mounting the display device is provided at the same time with contact surfaces that are able to be contacted via the operating control elements. This enhances the functionality of the panel, so that there is no need for a circuit board for contacting the contact surfaces via the operating control elements in the device""s case front. In this manner, one economizes on space, material and costs.
Also advantageous is the fact that the contact strip having connection contacts for the display device also has connection contacts for the contact surfaces. This enables the connection contacts for the display device and for the contact surfaces to be manufactured in one single sequence of operation. Moreover, the connection contacts for the display device, and the connection contacts for the contact surfaces can be contacted via one single contact film by corresponding mating contacts on a main board, so that one can economize on additional contact films and, consequently, on material, space, and costs.
It is beneficial that the operating control elements are designed as buttons, that a switch (control) pad is provided between the buttons and the contact surfaces, that the switch pad has contacts which are assigned to the buttons, and that, in response to actuation of one of the buttons, its assigned contact makes contact with two contact surfaces. Using switch pads to convert a button actuation into the contacting of two contact surfaces, substantially simplifies and accelerates the assembly of the electrical device, since one merely needs to insert the particular intended switch pad between the buttons and the contact surfaces. Moreover, using a switch pad having contacts assigned to the buttons for contacting two contact surfaces, renders possible an especially reliable contacting, in which no loose contacts occur.
It is also beneficial that the switch pad is made, at least partially, of transparent material. This enables the operating control elements to be illuminated via the switch pad.
A further advantage lies in the fact that the display device and the operating control elements can be illuminated by one common light source. This is facilitated mostly because both the display device and the contact surfaces for the operating control elements are arranged on one shared panel, so that one light source, which illuminates the panel, can illuminate both the display device and the operating control elements located in front of the contact surfaces. This makes it possible to economize on light sources when illuminating the display device and the operating control elements.
A further advantage lies in the fact that the panel is able to be illuminated by the light source via a reflector. This improves panel illumination, and makes illumination possible through suitable reflector position and form, independently of the light source""s mounting location.
Another advantage lies in the fact that the connection contacts of the contact strip are electroconductively connected via a contact film to corresponding mating contacts of a main board. This improves and simplifies the arrangement of the connection between the contact strip and the main board, since the contact film can be connected, for example, via a suitable plug-contact arrangement, to the mating contacts of the main board, eliminating the need for individually connecting the single connection contacts.
Also beneficial is the fact that the operating control elements are at least partially made of transparent material. This allows them to be illuminated by a light source arranged behind the panel, so that operation in the dark is simplified for the user.